Giant leap for molecular measurements
A new tool to analyze molecules is 100 times faster than previous methods


Date:
September 1, 2020
Source:
University of Tokyo
Summary:
Spectroscopy is an important tool of observation in many areas of
science and industry. Infrared spectroscopy is especially important
in the world of chemistry where it is used to analyze and identify
different molecules. The current state-of-the-art method can make
approximately 1 million observations per second. Researchers
have greatly surpassed this figure with a new method about 100
times faster.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Spectroscopy is an important tool of observation in many areas of science
and industry. Infrared spectroscopy is especially important in the
world of chemistry where it is used to analyze and identify different molecules. The current state-of-the-art method can make approximately
1 million observations per second. UTokyo researchers have greatly
surpassed this figure with a new method about 100 times faster.


==========================================================================
From climate science to safety systems, manufacture to quality control
of foodstuffs, infrared spectroscopy is used in so many academic and
industrial fields that it's a ubiquitous, albeit invisible, part of
everyday life. In essence, infrared spectroscopy is a way to identify
what molecules are present in a sample of a substance with a high degree
of accuracy. The basic idea has been around for decades and has undergone improvements along the way.

In general, infrared spectroscopy works by measuring infrared light
transmitted or reflected from molecules in a sample. The samples' inherent vibrations alter the characteristics of the light in very specific ways, essentially providing a chemical fingerprint, or spectra, which is read
by a detector and analyzer circuit or computer. Fifty years ago the best
tools could measure one spectra per second, and for many applications
this was more than adequate.

More recently, a technique called dual-comb spectroscopy achieved a
measurement rate of 1 million spectra per second. However, in many
instances, more rapid observations are required in order to produce
fine-grain data. For example some researchers wish to explore the stages
of certain chemical reactions that happen on very short time scales. This
drive prompted Associate Professor Takuro Ideguchi from the Institute for Photon Science and Technology, at the University of Tokyo, and his team
to look into and create the fastest infrared spectroscopy system to date.

"We developed the world's fastest infrared spectrometer, which runs
at 80 million spectra per second," said Ideguchi. "This method,
time-stretch infrared spectroscopy, is about 100 times faster than
dual-comb spectroscopy, which had reached an upper speed limit due to
issues of sensitivity." Given there are around 30 million seconds in a
year, this new method can achieve in one second what 50 years ago would
have taken over two years.

Time-stretch infrared spectroscopy works by stretching a very short pulse
of laser light transmitted from a sample. As the transmitted pulse is stretched, it becomes easier for a detector and accompanying electronic circuitry to accurately analyze. A key high-speed component that makes
it possible is something called a quantum cascade detector, developed by
one of the paper's authors, Tatsuo Dougakiuchi from Hamamatsu Photonics.

"Natural science is based on experimental observations. Therefore, new measurement techniques can open up new scientific fields," said Ideguchi.

"Researchers in many fields can build on what we've done here and use
our work to enhance their own understanding and powers of observation."

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Tokyo. Note: Content
may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Akira Kawai, Kazuki Hashimoto, Tatsuo Dougakiuchi, Venkata Ramaiah
Badarla, Takayuki Imamura, Tadataka Edamura, Takuro Ideguchi. Time-
stretch infrared spectroscopy. Communications Physics, 2020; 3
(1) DOI: 10.1038/s42005-020-00420-3 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200901085302.htm

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